This invention relates to floating docks, piers, etc., and, in particular, to a floating drive-on watercraft dock on which watercraft, such as personal watercraft and small boats can be dry-docked.
Watercraft docks commonly comprise pilings which are embedded in the floor of a body of water (such as a lake, river, ocean, etc.) to which a wooden deck is secured. Such docks, piers, etc. are difficult and time consuming to construct and require significant upkeep. Additionally, if the dock is not a floating dock, it is further subject to the rise and fall of the water level of the water body in which the dock is located.
Plastic docks were introduced to overcome some of the problems associated with wooden docks and piers. Such docks do not require the upkeep that is necessary for wooden docks. An example of such a modular dock is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,055, which is incorporated herein by reference. The floating modular dock described in the just noted patent is a dock section or dock building block, and several of the dock sections can be connected together to form a dock of a desired size and shape. Various components have been introduced which can be added to plastic docks. A commonly desired add-on for docks is a drive-on watercraft dock for small watercraft, and more commonly, for personal watercraft (PWC) such as a Jet Ski® or Sea Doo® personal watercraft and small boats, such as boats under about 25 feet in length. Drive-on watercraft docks keep the watercraft out of the water when on the dock, making it easier to service the watercraft and board and disembark from the watercraft. Dry docking of watercraft also protects the watercraft from algae, barnacles, etc. which, depending on where the craft is used, can grow on the craft's hull. Several drive-on watercraft docks have been developed. However, they are generally complicated in shape and expensive to manufacture and assemble.